FOLLOW-UP TO OUR MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN SIOUX FALLS:

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN FOR SUPPORT OF THE CARDIAC AND PULMONARY REHABILITATION LEGISLATION! 

When we surveyed IACPR members at the membership meeting in Sioux Falls, many of you said you did not know how to contact your legislators, did not understand the need for legislation, or were just not motivated to do it. PLEASE take the time to take action now! Remember, incident-to services are on the OIG 2007 Workplan. 

In March, IACPR sent 3 representatives (Candy Steele – District 1, Janie Knipper – District 2, Susan Siefkas – District 3) to AACVPR’s Day on the Hill 2007 to meet with legislators and their staff to garner support for S.329 and HR 552. We are asking each one of you to write to your Senators and Congressmen so that when we go to Washington, DC they will understand this is an issue that is very important to their constituents, Iowa Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab programs, and Iowa patients. Please understand that the existence of our programs may be dependent on the passing of this legislation.

All members of the Senate and the House of Representatives need to be asked to co-sponsor this legislation. Please help make this grass roots campaign effective by contacting our Senators and the Congressman who represent the district in which you live and/or work. If we all do our part, we can make a difference as professionals who care about our patients and who want our programs to remain viable.

Instructions for contacting your Senator/Representative (do not send “snail mail” - only send letters via faxes, email, or through the legislator’s web contact form)  

Step 1: Identify your Senators and Congressmen	The document IA House and Senate lists counties represented by the our legislators. The contact information for Senators Grassley and Harkin are listed, as well as hyperlinks to their web contact forms if available.
Step 2. Compose and send letters	Sample letters to your Senator and Congressmanare available for you to use as starters. You can copy and paste this information into your email, letter to be faxed, or the web contact form. Please personalize and modify to fit your demographics, including mentioning your hospital and community. In Senator Harkin’s letter, remind him that he was a co-sponsor last year for S.1440 (which is now S.329 in the 110th Congress) and you hope he will again decide to sponsor this same bill.
Step 3. Request your medical directors and hospital CEO to also send letters.	You can draft the letter on hospital letterhead using the above sample and have them sign it.
Step 4. Let IACPR know how many letters were sent.	When you send letters, please go to the IACPR “Contact Us” page and let us know to whom you sent letters, and if you were able to get your colleagues, medical directors, CEOs, etc. to send letters also.
Step 5. Follow up with a phone call to the Washington office in a week	Tell them that you sent a letter requesting support for S.329/HR 552 and tell them how important it is to you that the Senator/Congressman signs on as a co-sponsor.

Congressmen Braley, Loebsack, King, and Latham have signed on as co-sponsors - please send them a note of thanks if they represent the district in which you live or work!

Other helpful background information is available at the AACVPR website, including the Cardiac/Pulmonary Issue paper which gives the background for this initiative. If you have any questions, please contact one of us and we will be glad to clarify any questions you have.

WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

We would like to have a reimbursement representative from Districts 4 and 5, so if you live or work in either of those districts (see attachment) and would like to be a part of our team, please let us know.

Learn some Grass Roots Strategies!

Local Town Hall Meetings

Many legislators hold Town Hall meetings – it’s a great chance to get our message out to them! Watch your local paper for meetings held by your legislator. Contact the district office to find out when your Congressman will be back in the district and ask if you can make an appointment to see him. If you want assistance at this appointment, please Contact Us.

Face-to-face opportunities are a great chance to let them know how important this legislation is to our programs and patients!